1. Teaching Pathways Team Quality Teaching Branch
Cary Duffy
Director
Teaching Pathways Team
Quality Teaching Branch
Teacher Education

2. National reform agenda for schooling
Aim: Every Australian child has access to a world class education regardless of what school they go to or where they live
Shared commitment between Australian Government, states, territories and non-government sector
To reduce disadvantage and target resources to communities most in need
Reform is being implemented through:
increased funding to government and non-government schools
world-class enabling infrastructure - Digital Education Revolution, Trade Training Centres Program and Building the Education Revolution.
a wide ranging reform agenda

3. Education reforms three Smarter Schools National Partnerships
to provide foundation skills (literacy and numeracy)
being taught by high-quality teachers
supporting disadvantaged students
transparency in school performance data, reporting and assessment
world-class national curriculum.
transition from school
close the gap between the educational outcomes of Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians

4. Smarter Schools - Improving Teacher Quality National Partnership (TQNP)
$550 million over 5 years to raise teacher quality as a platform for improving student outcomes
System-wide reforms targeting critical points in the teacher ‘lifecycle’
Attract the best entrants into teaching
Train future teachers
Place and support quality teachers and leaders
Develop teachers’ and leaders’ skills and knowledge
Retain quality teachers and school leaders

5. TQNP Pre-Service Teacher Reforms
Accreditation of Pre-service Teacher Education Programs (AITSL leading)
The Government’s objective is to improve the effectiveness of teacher education courses by strengthening quality assurance arrangements.
School Centres for Teacher Education Excellence (state and territories leading)
To support quality pre-service teacher education through improved partnerships between schools and higher education providers
Quality Placements for the Practical Component of Teacher Education Courses
To provide quality placements for the practical component of teacher education courses to equip graduates for the teaching workforce.

6. Facilitation reforms Teacher Professional Standards
Accreditation of Pre-service (initial) Teacher Education Programs
National Consistency in the Registration of Teachers
Certification at Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher Levels
Performance management and continuous improvement in schools
Teacher workforce data
New Pathways into Teaching
Better Pathways into Teaching
Indigenous Education Workforce Pathways
Quality placements for the practical component of teacher education courses
School Centres of Excellence
Professional development and support for principals

7. Achievements under the TQNP
Implementation of reforms at the state and territory level
internship programs
programs targeting regional areas
Centres of Excellence models which enable stronger partnerships between schools and higher education providers – Tasmania’s Partnerships in Teaching Excellence initiative is a positive example
Increased dialogue between stakeholders

8. Expanding teaching pathways
Graduate
Teacher
Traditional pathways
Partial completion of study combined with internships and scholarships
Employment based

9. Issues for teaching pathways
Better alignment between teacher workforce needs and enrolments in teacher education courses to address teacher shortages.
Bradley higher education reform process, particularly demand-driven funding and publishing performance information.
State and territory level reforms and initiatives such as Queensland literacy, numeracy and science exit testing.
Address the critical problem of number of practicum placements and suitable practicum supervisors.
Preparing teachers for student diversity including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student, special needs students.

10. Top of the Class report identified challenges
poor integration of theory and practice
lack of support for supervising teachers
increasing difficulty finding enough quality placements
Strategies for quality improvements
mentors and education advisors appointed to support the practicum - training and release time
relationships with schools - connections between school and campus
placements in rural and remote Australia, Indigenous communities or difficult to staff schools
flexibility for family and employment commitments
time for university based teacher educators to work with schools

11. Teach for Australia Program Overview
A two year employment-based pathway.
Completion of a two year Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching through the University of Melbourne, while they teach.
Initial intensive six-week residential training and additional residential programs, online tutorials and twilight sessions.
A reduced teaching load (0.8 FTE teacher).
Ongoing support from an in-school mentor and Educational Adviser and later on a Business Adviser.

12. Objective of Teach for Australia
To raise the profile of the teaching profession and address educational disadvantage by recruiting high calibre, non-teaching graduates and placing them in schools where they can make the most difference.
To create educational leaders for the future.

13. Teach for Australia : Evaluation findings to date
Attraction
Schools impressed with the high calibre of associates
Teacher education program
Well received by associates, they want more time in the classroom and
in-school support is important from day 1
School experience
Teachers initial apprehensions about the program are changing to positive because of Associates’ capable and enthusiastic in classroom performance (in comparison to other beginning teachers)
Need for early communication and mentor-Associate matching